Development Support Officer (Onsite Work)

Role Purpose

The Development Support Officer plays a key role in building, maintaining, and strengthening working relationships with local authorities to support the placement of residents into suitable accommodation.

This role is focused on proactive engagement with councils, supporting property utilisation, managing referrals from point of vacancy through to move-in, and ensuring residents receive appropriate post-move-in support in line with local authority expectations and housing benefit requirements.

The role acts as a structured coordination link between local authorities, internal housing teams, and support services.

Key Responsibilities

• Local Authority Relationship & Engagement
  
  

Build and maintain professional working relationships with local authority housing, temporary accommodation, homelessness, and supported housing teams

Act as a consistent point of contact for councils regarding available accommodation and referral pathways

Proactively engage local authorities regarding vacant or upcoming vacant properties

Support the distribution of marketing and availability information to relevant council departments

Respond to local authority enquiries in a professional, timely, and well-documented manner

• Marketing & Vacancy Promotion
  
  

Issue vacancy notifications and property availability updates to local authorities

Support the preparation and circulation of property information, availability schedules, and referral criteria

Maintain accurate records of marketing activity and engagement outcomes

Ensure that vacancy promotion aligns with agreed council protocols and funding requirements

• Referral Vetting & Allocation
  
  

Receive and log referrals from local authorities

Vet referrals against property criteria, support capability, and risk considerations

Liaise internally to confirm property suitability and availability

Support the allocation of properties in line with local authority agreements and internal approval processes

Maintain clear audit trails on referral decisions, approvals, and allocations

• Move-In Coordination
  
  

Arrange and coordinate move-ins with local authorities, internal teams, and support staff

Ensure all required documentation is in place prior to move-in (referral forms, support needs, risk information, ID where required)

Confirm move-in dates, access arrangements, and handover processes

Ensure move-ins are recorded accurately within internal systems and trackers

• Post Move-In Resident Support
  
  

Support post move-in engagement with residents to ensure a smooth transition

Act as a liaison point between residents, support teams, and local authorities where required

Ensure post move-in checks and support actions are logged clearly and consistently

Escalate any immediate concerns, risks, or safeguarding issues in line with internal procedures

Support ongoing communication with councils regarding resident placement status where required

• Reporting, Compliance & Record-Keeping
  
  

Maintain accurate records of referrals, allocations, move-ins, and support activity

Ensure all actions are documented clearly to support audit, housing benefit, and local authority scrutiny

Update trackers and internal systems in line with organisational standards

Provide regular updates to management on vacancy status, referrals received, and placement progress

Essential

Skills & Experience

Strong written and verbal communication skills

Confidence engaging professionally with council officers and external stakeholders

High level of organisational and administrative accuracy

Ability to manage multiple placements and referrals simultaneously

Strong understanding of housing processes, move-ins, and resident support pathways

Personal Attributes

Professional, calm, and relationship-focused

Highly organised and detail-driven

Proactive and solutions-oriented

Confident handling sensitive information and vulnerable client groups

Able to work independently while following structured procedures

Key Outcomes of the Role

Strong, consistent local authority relationships

Reduced vacancy periods through proactive engagement

Clear, auditable referral and move-in processes

Smooth resident transitions supported by structured post move-in engagement

High standard of documentation supporting council and housing benefit requirements